Operating mechanisms for spreading machines



F. FAHRNI April 1o, 1956 OPERATING MECHANISMS FOR SPREADING MACHINESFiled Jan. 9, 19

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April 10, 1956 F. FAHRNI 2,741,19

OPERATING MECHANIsMs FOR SPREADING MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 2 www ATTURNEY April 1956 F, FAI-{RN} 2,741,191

OPERATING MECHNISMS FOR SPREADING MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. FRED MHRNI BY WMM/v ATTORNEY F. FAHRNI April10, 1956 OPERATING MECHANISMS FOR SPREADING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed Jan. 9, 1951 April 10, 1956 F. FAHRNI 2,741,191

OPERATING MECHANISMS FOR SPREADING MACHINES Filed Jan. 9, 1951 5Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY United States Patent O OPERATING MECHANISMS FRSPREADING MACHINES Fred Fahrni, Zurich, Switzerland Application January9, 1951, Serial No. 205,108

9 Claims. (Cl. M14- 178) This invention relates to scattering, spreadingand distributing methods and machines, and particularly to chip andshaving scattering, spreading and distributing machines for spreadingand distributing layers of shavings, chips and fragments of wood andother materials on a tray or other receiving surface.

The main object of my present invention is to provide means forspreading, distributing and depositing single cated which has a supplyhopper for initially receiving the material to be spread and deposited,together with movable means for positively ensuring the spreading of auniform deposit of the material on a shiftable receiving tray adapted tobe displaced from the receiving position to an appropriate position forcompressing the deposited material by suitable means.

A further object of my invention is to provide a ma` chine as indicatedwhich is capable of taking at least two forms generally operating insimilar manner, but in which one form is particularly adapted fordepositing chips and fragments of wood to form a core body orintermediate layer of a panel or slab, while the other form isespecially suited for depositing shavings and thin pieces of wood toform surface layers of the panels or slabs intended to be formed.

In other words the invention involves a core or surface materialspreading machine for depositing chips, fragments or shavings of woodand the like in layer form preparatory to compressing the depositedmaterial into a coherent panel, board or surface layer for the latter,the machine including substantially horizontal elongated guide means, aremovable elongated materialreceiving member forming a tray disposedsubstantially parallel to said elongated guide means, a travellingmaterial-depositing unit movably supported and guided along alongitudinal path upon said elongated guide means, driven distributingmeans upon the travelling material-depositing unit for depositing thematerial introduced into the same upon the tray during travel of thetravelling material-depositing unit, and reversible drive means electiveto propel the travelling material-depositin g unit along the elongatedguide means back and forth through the extent of the longitudinal path.

The invention also involves more specifically a core or surface materialspreading machine for depositing chips, fragments or shavings of woodand the like in layer form preparatory to compressing the depositedmaterial into a coherent panel, board or surface layer for the latter,the machine including a pair of substantially horizontal supportingrails, a removable material-receiving member forming an elongated traydisposed substantially parallel to the supporting rails, a travellingmaterialfi 1C@ depositing unit movably supported and guided along alongitudinal path upon the supporting rails; driven distributing meansupon the travelling material-depositing unit for depositing the materialintroduced into the same upon the tray during travel of the travellingmaterialdepositing unit, a pair of chain sprockets rotatably mountedadjacent to the opposite ends of the supporting rails, a further chainsprocket rigid with one of the chain sprockets, a prime mover havingdriving sprockets, a sprocket chain connecting the latter sprocket andthe further chain sprocket, an endless sprocket chain also running uponand interconnecting the pair of chain sprockets and extendinglongitudinally of the supporting rails in parallelism thereto, andalternately operating clutch means upon the travellingmaterial-depositing unit effective to engage with one or the other ofthe two lengths of the endless sprocket chain and thereby positivelymove the travelling material depositing unit continuously back and forthfrom end to end along the supporting rail.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a core material spreading machine madeaccording to the invention and embodying certain salient featuresthereof in a practical form;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same machine as seen from the right inFig. l;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a travelling ma terialdepositing unit of the machine of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a similar enlarged side elevation of the same travelling unitwith certain operating members removed to display relations of parts;

Fig. 5 is a similar enlarged view in vertical section as taken on line 55 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a partial horizontal section and partial top plan view takenon line 6-6 in Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation similar to Fig. l, illustrating amodification of the travelling unit thereof while the remaining portionsof the machine are identical with those shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the machine of Fig. 7 as seen from theright;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged side elevation of the modified form of travellingmaterial spreading unit of the machine appearing in Figs. 7 and 8, withcertain near parts removed for greater clarity in showing operatingdetails;

Fig. 10 is a similar enlarged view in vertical section as taken on line10-10 in Fig. 8;

Fig. 1l is a section of the initial form of panel made according to theinvention; and

Fig. 12 is a section of the panel in a nal stage of manufacture.

Throughout the views, the same reference numerals indicate the same orlike parts.

When making boards, slabs, panels and sheets of composite compressedmaterial, and especially when compressing wood chips, fragments andshavings to make compressed wooden panels and the like, it is veryimportant to provide a uniform distribution of the chips, shavings orother material upon the entire extent of the surface upon which thematerial is to be pressed and formed. The reason is, of course, obvious,namely, that the nished panel or the like should be uniform in density,strength and thickness throughout, which result would not be achievedwithout initially effecting a substantially even spreading of thestarting material in one or more layers-over the mentioned surface,-`according to theultimate thickness desired for the panel involved.

Another problem in this connection is to make a composite panel and: thelike" hai-ing the' main'- core thereof formed of wood' chips and(fragments tot constitute bulk material,'as it were, with-the upperjandlower sides faced with long liber shaving's to" present substantiallysmooth outer surfaces of satisfactory tirlisliv and character whichwillbe suitable to reinforce 'andlo'ck the core' r'naterial within thepanell intoa'composite whole;

After duly considering th'ese probl'eln's, and bearing' the foregoingobjects in'mind, I have succeeded in prodtlfcin'g an eectivematerial-spreadiri'gt machine 4andassocifa't'e'd method for the presentpurpose as'will now be' s'et fortllih detail.

Hence, in the practi'ceof'4 invention and referring again to' theVdrawings,'a pluralityv of uprightA frame posts 11, 12 are arranged p asecond lower pair of rails 18; 19supported'otia plurlity of relativelyshorter posts 20, 21j/ete., land" extending to an'appropriatel` panelpre'ssin onedii'ectio'ri (not shown), as it formsno actual' part of thisxiientiii. Upon the lower' inside rails- 18,119 is shlf't'ably'`slipported a receiving'panel'tray generallyeindicated at'22`,th'rilsextending in the directionoppo'ste' that previously 'nientioned to astorage' space or'chtberprvidedfwith 'additional trays for replacingtray 2 2wh'en the sme'hs been run offv to theeompre's'sionzone'for'compressingithe material deposited thereon. j

The mentioned 'tray'122` consists of' a 't'bottm' 23 provided with'upwardly/"extending" fr nt, rear" 'and' side walls 24, 2526and 27securedtliereto'by'an angleiron frame 28, while beneathtliebttoinfa'plurality of do'wnwardly extending lugs 29, 30,' etc.,serve to pivotallzyspport flanged wheels 31, 32' on `pins' 'or'shafts"33 in'si 1ch spaced apart relations that these wh'eels can rollin' guided manner upon rails' 18 and' 19, The' panel' tray` is," thuscapable'of rolling from a" normal loading position a's shown' in Figs.l' and'2, alotgthe'lower'rils-to th`e`pr'essure apparatus or zone asalready intimated, andwhen freed from'the'pressed'pan'el,this'tia'yl'n'ay ,be" directly or ultimately returned or rerouted totheorginalpos'itin shown for receivinga fresh loadfofllaiv'v material.Ordinarily, no great' elort Ais'r'e'cpirei'to roll' thisre'ceiving trayfrom one po'sition'to` the other and'the'reforeit'rh'ay even be shifted'by' hand`if desiredl f Adjacent one of thecor'n'er'posts lzfisxed adriving motor 34 with its pulley' 35V connected'by belt-36to arelatively larger pulley 37 liked on a shaft 38, which in turn isrotatably supported on-a Hearing support 3'9, this shaft also having arelatively smaller pulley 40'mounted thereon for rotation therewith andwith pulley 37.. .Pulley 40 is connected'by a second beltl41 to afurtherlargcr pulley 42 fixed on transverse shaft'4`3 supportedin'l'aearing members 44, 4S'secureduponr'ear pQSt's 142; 12`a shortdistance above rails 15, 16. At the correspondingly opposite end of theframe structure, asimilarpair of 'bearing members46 are secured onposts, 11, 11 for rotatablysupporting anothertransverse shaft 47.A A0natleast one-end of each of shafts 43'and 47 are xed'chain sprockets 48,49 interconnected-by an vendless chain l50 withl the result thatoperation-ofrnotor- 34 'will=provide a-continuous forward travelfromright to left'of thevup'per length or section of the chan'andacorrespondingreai'wardtravel toward the right of the 'lowerE length-ofthe-samechaine4 As primarily shown in Figs. 1 and 2, upon side rails 15and 16-are movably supported the anged wheels 51',- 52 of a travellingor reciprocating material-spreading unit generally indicated at 53. Thisunit has an outer frame 54 open at the top and provided along the twoopposite side walls 55, 56 thereof with rigidly attached longitudinalside bars 57, 58 preferably secured at the ends by means of a pair ofcross-bars 59', 60' (Figs. 3 and 5) Ythat provide bearings for shafts61, 62 on which wheels 51 and 52 are mounted. Thus the spreading ordistributing unit is capable of travelling along rails 15 Yand `16between the end cross-bars 63 and 64' supported on the corner posts 11and' 12.- Upon-'the ends Yof the-unit are provided resiliently mountedbumpers 65, 66 adapted to abut the end cross-bars 63, 64' and cushionstoppage of the unit during operation and also condition it for reversalof its travel on the rails; Before entering into the matter of thedetails of construction of this unit, specifically, the means formovingit and' imparting a reciprocating movement thereto will rst be outlined.

A s best seen in Figs. 3 to 6, 'upon side bar 57 is nioutit'ed a clutchapparatus' generally indicated at 67, primarily comprising' a verticalbearing plate 68' forming bearing means for two sprocket shafts 69,70'at one'end of each, the other side bar SSbeing provided with' acorresponding bearing plate 71" secured thereto and serving as'bearingmeans' for the `otherends of these shafts. The latter are proyided'atthe extremities` thereof with upper and lower sprockets' 72' a'nd 73'meshing with the upper and lower sections 7 and 8 of the one ortwochains 50 running between end sprockets 48 and 49. 4In order toensure propermeshingpf sprockets' 72`anc'l '731with the chain, the'sidef bars 57.'and 5 8: having" chain' abutments 74" and 75 lxedthereto'by riveting, bra'zing or' welding to support the' chantv whilein mesh with' the teeth on the sprockets and prevent escape'of' vthe`links' of said chains from engagement withtheteeth ofthementionedsprocket's.

Normally, these sprockets' would rotate idly when"chain Sil is inmotion, due tol the operation o'f niotor 34, but by alternate braking orlocking operation of the -upper sprockets and thenofI thelowersprockets, thel entire unit 53'will irs'tl follow the upper' chainlengths 7 toward one end of the machine and then the lower lengths inthe opposite direction; To elect this result in a controlled trianner,clutch apparatus 67 includes a pair of clutch assemblies '76, 77mounted'on sprocket shafts 69 and 70 within a special clutch casing 78forming partof bearing plate 68, with each clutch assembly adapted to beindividually operated in alternation-with the otherby means ofa pair ofswiveling Shifters 79, S9 pivotally mounted at 81 to swivel on verticalpivot pin 82.

The mentionedshifters consist of upper and lower clutch operating arms83, 8.4,-85 and'86 provided with forks 87, 88, 89 and 90 engagingstuds91,- 92, 9 3 and A94 and clutch collarsl and 96. Upon Shifters 79 and 80are lxed rearwardly extending cam followers 97, 98 provided with camfollowing lingers 99, 100cngaging in cani slots 101, 102 in a pair ofhorizontal cam plates 103, 104 located s'lidably between' cam followers97 and 98 and prevented from-being dissociated therefrom by engagementof fingers 99 and 10U-in the camslots. Cam slot'll in upper cam plate103 is inclined inwardly toward one end of them'achine while camslot'102 in lower cam plate 104 is inclinedin the opposite direction,both cam slots being symmetrically disposed with respect to eachother'.Both cam plates are' secured together and rigidly connected to apendent'cam shifter-105, the plates 'as a'unit sliding forwardly andrearwardly between a pair of-guides 106, 107 fixed on the 'side bar 57.

, When thematerial-spreading unit53 travels rearwardly toward the right,the lower end of cam shifter encountersa-.block stop-1li8` adjustablyxe'd in position by a screw or bolt '109 extending`througha-longitudinal slot llllin rail 151.' The immediate effectisthat'cam plates 103,"104'are arrested by stoppage'of member' 105 whilethe unit still travels onward a short distance, forcing finger 99 ofupper cam follower 97 to swing outwardly away from side bar 57 aboutpivot pin 82. Naturally, the upper clutch operating arms 83, 84 withtheir forks 87, 88 are correspondingly swung inwardly and as these forksstraddle studs 91, 92 of upper outer clutch collar 95, the upper clutchplates 76 are brought together into frictionally locked engagement. Thissuddenly stops rotation of upper sprocket shaft 69 with its sprocket 72,while meshing with upper chain sections 7 which are constantlytravelling forward to the left and thereby reverse the travel of thedistributing unit 53 upon rails 15, 16 so as to return this unit towardthe left.

At the same time as upper clutch 76 becomes locked by outward shiftingof upper cam follower 97, the lower cam slot 102 in cam plate 104 causesfollower finger 100 and thereby lower cam follower 98 to swing inwardlyabout pivot pin 82 toward side bar 57. This, of course correspondinglyswings lower clutch operating arms 85, 86 outward with their forks 89,90 straddling studs 93, 94 of lower clutch collar 96. As a result, thelatter clutch collar is shifted outwardly, releasing the lower clutchand freeing lower sprockets 73 to mesh idly with the lower chain section8. Unit 53 then travels toward the left with upper chain section 7 untilcam shifter 105 encounters a second block stop 111 adjustably fixed inposition by another screw or bolt 112 extending through a secondlongitudinal slot 113 in rail 15.

As the cam shifter meets stop 111, the cam plates irnmediately stoptravelling while the unit continues a short distance, causing camfollowers 97, 98 to operate and release the upper clutch and sprocketswhile frictionally locking the lower clutch and sprockets so thatleftward travel of unit 53 with the upper chain section 7 terminates andrghtward travel of the same unit immediately takes place. 'When theshifting member 105 thus encounters stops S, 111, alternately, itimmediately causes reversal of the travel of the distributing unit sothat the latter continues to travel back and forth from one end of therails 15, 16 to the other end as long as motor 34 continues to operatethe one or more chains 50.

Thus far, the machine of Figs. l to 6 and the modication thereof, shownin Figs. 7 to l0 are substantially identical in all respects, includingoperation, the differences hereafter to be detailed arising from thenature of the material to be distributed or deposited in shiftable tray22 and consequentlyof the construction of the spreading or distributingunit including proper facilities for handling the material involved ineach case. For this reason only the numbers referring to unit 53 ofFigs. 1 to 6 differ from those referring to the other unit of Figs. 7 tol0 in order to distinguish the units concerned.

Hence, continuing with the description of the machine illustrated in thefirst six figures for depositing wood chips and fragments to form a coreor main body portion of a panel on tray 22, the frame 54 of unit 53 isfurnished with a pair of interior transverse walls 114, 115 extendingpart way down from the top and secured between side walls 55, 56 to formthe upper open end of a hopper. At the lower ends of walls 114, 115 areadjustably attached downwardly converging hopper walls 116, 117connected to the upper walls by hinged members or rods 118, 119 in suchmanner that the lower ends 120, 121 of the hopper walls may be shiftedtoward or away from each other. Near the lower end 120 of hopper wall116, the latter is connected at 122 with a rotatable end of anadjustable feed shaft or screw 123 extending in threaded engagementthrough a cross-bar 124 fixed within frame 54. The feed screw 123 isprovided with a manually operable external knob 125 by which to rotatethis screw in order to cause wall 116 to approach toward or recede fromwall 117.

Below the lower ends of both walls 116 and 117 is mounted a ribbeddistributing drum 126 on a drum shaft 127 rotatably mounted in the lowerportions of side walls 55 and 56. VImmediately beneath lower adjustableendl of hopper wall 116 is an outwardly arching depending wall 128forming a divergent passage between the same and one side of drum 126for passing material descending by gravity to the latter from the hopperabove. The other side of the drum is partly encased within an arcuateshielding wall 129 secured between side walls 55, 56 which is, ofcourse, likewise true of depending wall 128. Shielding wall 129 extendsfrom the vicinity of lower end 121 of rear hopper wall 117 to a pointbeneath drum 126 where it joins the depending wall 130 Fixed betweenwalls 55 and 56 and spaced a short distance from the lower portion ofwall 128 to form a downwardly directed passage 131 for the materialdropping from the drum when the latter is rotated counterclockwise.

Both depending passage walls 128 and 130 terminate at the lower bottomwall 132 and are connected thereto so as to form a lower dischargeopening 133 in this bottom wall. To the underside of the latter bottomwall is secured a discharge spout 134 in which the lower discharge port135 is relatively narrow from front to back but from side to side issubstantially as wide as the space between side walls 26 and 27 ofshiftable tray 22.

As the material to be deposited in the tray is of socalled bridgebuilding character, this tendency must, of course be counteracted inorder to promote an absolutely uniform and continuousl downward feedingof the material through bottom opening 133 and distributing port 135.The ribbed form of drum 126 with its spaced ribs 136 fixed thereon,serves well to feed material which actually reaches the drum down intothe passage 131, but for ensuring the continuous descent of the materialin the hopper to this drum, the lower end 121 of hopper wall 117 iscaused to swing or reciprocate constantly toward and away from the lowerend 120 of the opposite hopper wall. In order to effect this result,wall 117 upon its lower external side is provided with a pivotconnection 137 to which an eccentric link 138 is connected by pivot pin139, the link being operably mounted on an eccentric 140 fixed on theeccentric shaft 141, which in turn is rotatably mounted in side walls 55and 56. Rotation of this eccentric shaft will obviously cause the lowerend of hopper wall 117 to swing back and forth on its hinge suspension119 due to rotation of the eccentric 140, the contents of the hopperbeing thereby constantly disturbed and prevented from bridging acrossfrom wall 116 to wall`-117. The immediate effect is that the materialfreely drops down upon drum 126, and during rotation of the latter isfed downwardly thereby in a uniform stream or supply determined inamount by the space between the drum and the upper end of fixed arcuatewall 128.

Upon the right end 142 of unit frame 54 is mounted an electric motor 143having a drop cable 144 connected thereto from above and communicatingwith an appropriate current source. The motor has a driving pulley 145connected by a belt 146 to a relatively larger pulley 147 fixed on drumshaft 127 for directly rotating the drum from the motor. On the drumshaft, but within pulley 147 is fixed a chain sprocket 148 connected bymeans of chain 149 to a relatively larger chain sprocket 150 fixed oneccentric shaft 141 already referred to. Thus, upon rotation of the drum126 by motor pulley 145, the eccentric 140 is simultaneously rotated ata somewhat lower speed than that of the drum, thereby providing thementioned constant swinging movement of hopper wall 117.

From the foregoing, it is evident that when electric current is suppliedsimultaneously to both motors 34 and 143, the material distributing unit53 will travel back and forth from one end of the apparatus to theother, and is reversed at the end of each movement along the rails-15and 16, while material such as wood chips and fragments fed into thehopper formed by walls 55, 56, 114, 115, 116 and 117 will be feddownwardly by drum 7 126 through spout 134 at 151 into shiftable aneltray 22 in such fashion that, during itsIeciprQcatmg travel, the unitwill deposit first in yone direction and thenin the opposite directionsuccessive layers o f material 152 until the desired quantity of thismaterial has been deposited in the tray. When this result has beenattained, the tray is promptly runl along the lower rails 18 and 19toward a pressure device (not shown) or to another machine, as will beexplained, and another tray promptly rolled in position beneathA unit 53to be filled-in similar manner t6 thatalready described;

It is, of course, obvious that, panels of different widths may bemadebydepositing layers f broken wood material supplied bythe hopper,ifdesireda Forthis purpose, the side wall 56 is provi ded interiorlywith a pair; of opposite lugs 153 secured t o e1id -walls` 1 14 and 115by means of screws or bolts 1 54 extending through horizontal slots 155in wal ls11 4- and 115 in suchfashion that upon release of bolts 154side wall 5 6 -may be adjusted toward or away from opposite side wall55. Of course, the construction may also include similar adjustment forsidewall 55, if so desired. When the unit 53 reciprocates along railsand 16 from one end of the apparatus to the other, it encounters thebumpers 65, 66 which, due to their resilient constructiontend' tocushionthe unit to a stop at each end and-resiliently start the unitpn its wayback again from the individual bumper involved.

The coarse wood material152 deposited inA the -manner described servesto form the inner or intermediate body portion of a composite panelboard or sheet 157 (Eig. 1 1) and actually constitutes the b t 1 lk ormairrrnass o f the panel. ln order to providethispanelwith a smoothpresentable surface adapted to `1 'e ceiv e a surface coating or finishapplied thereto as would bedonevupon thesur; face of a piece of linewood, for examplela different form of long ber wood material such aswopd s havings` is preferably applied to one or bothsides, ofthepaneland is, of course, intended to form part and parcel :thereof-.

Thus when panel 157 in its-initialvformis produced by pressing the massof wood chips and the like in tray 22, the latter may be rolled along15,. 1 6 to a machine illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10. second 4machine issubstantially the same as that ofA Figs. 1 to 6 as already indicated,except for the travellingmaterial distributing unit 53, which in thesecond machine is replaced by a wood shaving distributing unit generallyindicated at 1 58. As all the remaining parts andalso the generaloperation of the machine have already been suiciently described, theconstruction and operation of this unit as such will now be specificallynoted.

As previously brought out in connection with travelling unit 53, theunit 158 has a pair of parallel side bars, 57', 58 provided withilangedwheels 51',l 52 and transverse shafts as indicated at 61' mountedin cross-bars as indicated at 59'` interconnecting side bars 57', 58'into a rigid unit capable of running on rails 15, 16. Within the sidebars, the two opposite hopper sides 159, 160 are mounted vand connectedto the front and rear outer frame parts 161, 162 of unit 158. Within thelatter are mounted a xed rear hopper wall 163 secured at the lower endthereof to a cross-bar 164 attached to the sides 159, 160, whileopposite this rear hopper wall is pivotally mounted a pendentlyadjustable f ron't hopper wall 165, being pivotally or h ingedlysuspended by means of a hinge structure or rod 166.

For adjustment of the mentioned front wall1165, the latter is connectedto the inner operating end 167 of an adjusting feed screw 168 by meansof a bracket 169 secured to wall 165, the feed screw extendingthreadedly through an nteriorly threaded cross-bar 170 and out throughfront hopper part 161. Externally of the member 161', the feed oradjusting screw is provided with a knurled operating knob 171 by whichto' turn` the feed screw and thereby adjust the lower end'of suspendedinner hopper wall 165 as desired. It is to be noted that this adjustablehopper wall is shorter than the opposite stationaryhopper wall 163` inorder to cooperate with a tn otlled feeding drum 1 72 fixed on a drivendrum shaft 173 rotatably mountedin side walls 159, 160 and provided witha series of peripheral one way teeth 174 that clearthe lower end ofadjustable wall 165 in any adjusted position of the latter.

Between the intermediate portions of both hopper walls 163 and 1 65 i smounted a second' shaft 175 above and parallel to drum shaft 173 androtatably supported between side wall's 1 59, 165).l Upon this secondshaft are secured a plurality of beater arms 176 located Within thehppers'tructurefor apurp'o'se about to be explained. A; pair of bearings 177,are secured to the lower ext'e'rior poftionlqf rear wall 162 forsupporting an eccentric shaft 179'upon which is fixed alarge pulley 180.To pulley is connected al belt 181 extending from drive pulley I182 ofan el'ectricmotor 183 securedv tothe upper' exteriifprtdn' f rear wall162.

Eccentric shaft- 179 is provided with a chain sprocket llii'connected'bya chain 185 to a second chain sprocket 186 rotatably mountedv on a studshaft 187 xed on hopper sid'e'i wall`159. The last mentioned sprocket186 is" rigid'vith'a'pinin 188 meshing with a relatively large gear18'9'ftxed'' the end of drum shaft 173, which in ttn" is' also" proyidedwith a chain sprocket 190. A second sprockefchin 191 interconnectssprocket 190 on the diuiii shaft with a' further chain sprocket 192fixed o'l batef -shaft 175 for rotating beaters 176 simultarteouslyWitlitli' drum whenthe latter is driven through chain185jfrbr`rfsprocket134, through pinion 183, gear rieshingtlierewith, byway of pulley 136 through belt l8`1"'frorii` ru0tor pulley`182 of motor183.

' Before-detailing the progress of material through the t`w'o otherfeatures require mention, the 'first nvlviiig' a's'e'rie'sof' feedingshafts 193, 194, 195, 196 ffL simultaneous rotation in side walls 159,within the hpper structure provided with sub'- sttilly square'ldistributing rollers 197, 198; 199, 200. Upon the inner endsl of theseshafts are fixed pinions 291`5-202`2031ad204 meshing in pairs with twogears 2`05latiidl 206 rotatably mounted on studv shafts 207 andZlvltix'ed on side w'all159.' These two gears 295 and 206 bothmesh witha gear rotatable on a further stud shaft- 209 and meshing in turn withthe previously mentionedg'ai' 189 and drum shaft 173.

Thus'rot'ationofthe drum when driven by motor 183 willy be accompaniedby rotation, not only of beaters 176;fb'ut' also' by rotation of' all ofthe square rollers 197, 1.98; 199Vahd 200. If a quantity of woodshavings 209 is introduced into the hopper between walls 159, 160, 163and 165 and the" last mentioned wall adjusted by means of screw 168' todesired position, starting of driving motor 183 will cause beaters 176to agitate the shaving's constantly and urge them down towards drum 172,which rotates counterclockwise and feeds a constant supply of-shavingsdown to the square distributing rollers that' also'. rotate by operationof the motor and pass the shavings downtherebetween to drop on a siftingscreen 21o-immediately below the lower end 211 of the hopper structureproper.

Sifting screen 210 is provided with a frame 212 having a lug 213-at itsrear end piVotally connected by an eccentric link 214 operatively to aneccentric 215 xed on rotatable eccentric shaft 179 also driven by motor183, as already outlined.l Rotation of the eccentric shaft produces aconstant horizontal reciprocationv of the sifting screen, and. in orderto support this screen movably a group of pendent links 216, 217, 218and 219 are pivotally mounted at the upper ends thereof to the unit sidewalls 159, 160, as for example, links 216 and 217 by means of pivot pins22) and 221. At` the lower ends,

all four linksv are pivotally connected by pivot pins 222, 223, 224 and225 to screen frame 212. The latter with its screen proper is thusswingably suspended and readily rocked back and forth beneath rollers197, 198, 199 and 296 by operation of eccentric 215 to sift and drop theshavings down through a distributing spout 226 and its lower constrictedopening 227 in the form of a constant stream 228 of material on theinitially formed body panel 157 in tray 22 to form a surface layer 229on this panel. The spout 226 may be secured by its upper flange 239 toscreen frame 212 in order to swing or oscillate horizontally with theframe and its screen as illustrated, or it may be rigid with the upperhopper structure as in the case of the spout in Figs. l to 6, and thescreen and frame then oscillating in a narrow horizontal space betweenthe hopper structure and the spout, if desired.

Hence, when the lower motor 34 is started and the upper motor likewise,and assuming that tray 22 is in proper receiving position, the entireunit 158 will begin to travel back and forth along rails 15 and 16 whilethe feeding drum 172 feeds the shavings from the hopper supply 2tl9agitated by beaters 176 past the lower end of inner hopper wall 165 tothe distributing rollers 197, 198, 199, 206, whence the material isdropped and scattered on screen 210, which during oscillation sifts theshavings down through spout 226 and its bottom opening on tray 22. Asthe initially pressed bottom panel is already in position in this tray,the shaving layer 229 deposits thereon until of the proper thickness,when the tray is rolled away to press this layer on the panel and causeit to adhere thereto.

When the panel has thus been provided with one surface layer 229, thepanel may be turned over so that the deposited surface layer facesdownward with the tray again disposed beneath the travelling unit 158,and the latter caused to deposit a further surface layer on the upperexposed side of the panel until of the proper thickness. When the trayis then rolled off to the compression apparatus, the newly depositedshaving layer 231 is pressed upon the panel and caused to adhere theretoto form the composite panel 157 provided with the two surface layers 229and 231.

Of course, if desired, the originally formed panel need not be pressedinto initial form before receiving the first shaving layer 229, but thetray simply provided with the bulk layer as lirst described inconnection with Figs'. l to 6, and the tray then rolled to the secondapparatus and the iirst shaving layer applied, after which the tray maybe rolled to the compression apparatus to press both deposited layerstogether to form the panel unit. The result is then that the panelmerely has the body portion 157 and integral therewith, the one surfacelayer 229, which may suce for many purposes as a satisfactory panel.However, if the panel thus far made is turned over and the secondshaving layer 231 applied and pressed thereon as already mentioned, acomplete panel having both sides finished will result.

It is obvious that the wood chips and pieces deposited upon tray 22 inthe iirst machine may be sprinkled or soaked with glue or somecementitious uid or solution or even by plastic material, either ofthermo setting or thermo plastic character, and the same is true of theshavings deposited on the tray in the second machine, such cementingadjuncts forming no part of the present invention and therefore being anoptional feature in conjunction with the operation of the machinesdescribed.

From the foregoing, it is evident that a composite panel of Wood orother material may be built up of one or more layers of compactedfragments, chips and shavings and the like, with no practical limit tothe thickness of the panel or its layers except as limited by thecapacity of the receiving tray and the dimensions of the apparatusinvolved.

The invention claimed below is also disclosed in applications SerialNos. 205,109 now Patent No. 2,696,330 dated Dec. 7, 1954 and 205,110 nowPatent No. 2,696,331

10 dated Dec. 7, 1954, both of which were tiled on january 9, 1951. v i

Manifestly, variations may be resorted to and parts and features may bemodified or used without others within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim:

l. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; movingmeans operatively connected to said frame and hopper for moving thelatter along said frame, said moving means comprising an endlesselongated member having portions respectively located on opposite sidesof a plane extending in substantially the direction of the major axis ofsaid elongated member, said endless member being mounted on said frameon one side thereof, and drive means operatively connected to saidendless member for non-reversibly driving the same so that on one sideof said plane said endless member moves in one direction and on theother of said plane said endless member moves in a direction opposite tosaid one direction; and automatic reversing means mounted on said hopperfor movement therewith and being operatively engageable with said movingmeans and frame for automatically reversing the direction in which saidmoving means moves said hopper, said reversing means comprising a pairof clutch means operatively engageable with said endless member onopposite sides of said plane, respectively, and actuating meansoperatively connected to said pair of clutch means for alternatelyengaging the same so as to connect said hopper with said endless' memberalternately on opposite sides of said plane to reverse the direction ofmovement of said hopper, said actuating means comprising a pair ofclutch moving members, respectively associated with said pair of clutchmeans, cam means mounted on said hopper for movement with respectthereto and being operatively connected to said clutch moving members,and a pair of abutments spaced from each other and iixedly mounted onsaid frame adjacent points at which the direction of movement of saidhopper is to be reversed, said abutments being located in the path ofmovement of said cam means so as to engage the latter and move the samewith respect to said hopper to thereby actuate said clutch movingmembers.

2. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; movingmeans operatively connected to said frame and hopper for moving thelatter along said frame, said moving means comprising an endlesselongated member having portions respectively located on opposite sidesof a plane extending in substantially the direction of the major axis ofsaid elongated member, said endless member being mounted on said frameon one side thereof, and drive means' operatively connected to saidendless member for non-reversibly driving the same so that on one sideof said plane said endless member moves in one direction and on theother of said plane said endless member moves in a direction opposite tosaid one direction; and automatic reversing means mounted on said hopperfor movement therewith and being operatively engageable with said movingmeans and frame for automatically reversing the direction in which saidmoving means moves said hopper, said reversing means comprising a pairof clutch means operatively engageable with said endless member onopposite sides of said plane, respectively, and actuating meansoperatively connected to said pair of clutch means for alternatelyengaging the same so as to connect s'aid hopper with said endless memberalternately on opposite sides of said plane to reverse the direction ofmovement of said hopper, said actuating means comprising a pair ofclutch moving members, respectively operatively engageable with saidpair of clutch means, cam means mounted on said hopper for movement withrespect thereto and being operatively connected to said clutch movingmembers, and a pair of abut' ments spaced from each other and fixedlymounted on 11 said frame adjacent points at which the direction ofmovement of said hopper is to be reversed, said abutments' being locatedin the path of movement oi said cam means so as to engage the latter andmove the same with respect to said hopper to thereby actuate said clutchmoving members, said cam means comprising a plate' means having oppositesides each of which is formed with a groove, said grooves beingoperatively connected to saidclutch moving members, respectively, andone of said grooves having a configuration which is the reverse theother rf said grooves',and an elongated bar member xedly connected tosaid plate means and having a portion located at the level ofsaid'abutments so as to contact the latter and thereby move thesaid'plate means with respect to said hopper.

3L Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; anendless elongated member having portions located on opposite sides of aplane extending in substantially the direction of the major axis of saidelongatedmember and being mounted on the said frame along one sidethereof; drive means operatively connected to said endless member fornon-reversibly driving the same so that ou one side of said plane saidendless member moves in one direction and on an opposite side of saidplane said endless' member moves in a direction opposite to said onedirection; a pair of elements mounted on said hopper for free rotationwith respect thereto and being respectively connected to said endlessmember on opposite sides of said plane, respectively, to be rotated bysaid endless member; a pair of clutch plates mounted on said hopper onlyfor movement in translation toward and away from a position where saidclutch plates respectively abut against said elements to preventrotation thereof; a pair Y of clutch moving members mounted on saidhopper and being operatively connected to said-clutch plates for movingthe same into and out of said position; plate means mounted on saidhopper for movement with respect thereto and having opposite sides eachof which is formed with a groove, said grooves being operativelyconnected to said clutch moving members, respectively, and one of saidgrooves having a configuration which is the reverse of the other of saidgrooves; a pair of abutments spaced from each other Vand being iixedlymounted on said frame at one side thereof adjacent points at which thedirection of movement of said hopper is to be reversed; andan elongatedbar member xedly connected at one portion thereof to said plate meansand having another portion thereof located at the level of saidabutments, whereby said plate means actuates said clutch moving membersto alternately move said clutch plates into said position when said barmember contacts said abutments so as to alternately preveut' rotation ofone of said elements and thereby alternately connect said hopper to saidendless member on opposite sides of said plane so as to reverse themovement of said hopper.

4. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; anendless' chain having portions located on opposite sides of a planeextending in substantially the direction of the major axis of saidendless chainV and being mounted on the said frame along one sidethereof; drive means operatively connected to said chain fornon-reversibly dr'ving the same so that on one side of said plane saidchain moves in one direction and on an opposite side of said plane saidchain moves in a direction opposite to said one direction; a pair ofsprocket wheels Vmounted on said hopper for free rotation with respectbeing operatively connected to said clutch plates for moving-the sameinto and out of said position; plate means mounted on said hopper formovement with respect there- Y to and having opposite sides'each ofwhich is formed with a groove, said grooves being operatively connectedto said clutch moving members, respectively, and one oi said grooveshaving a configuration which is the reverse yof the other of saidgrooves; a pair of abutments spaced thereof located at the'level of saidabutments, whereby said plate means actuates said clutch moving membersto alternately move said clutch plates into saidV position when said barmember contacts said abutments so as' to alternately prevent rotation ofone of said sprocket Wheels and thereby alternately connect said hopperto said chain on opposite sides of said plane so as to reverse themovement of said hopper.

5. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; anendless chain having portions located on opposite sidesof a planeextending in substantially the direction of the major axis'of saidendless chain and being mounted on the said frame along one sidethereof; drive means operatively connected to said chain fornon-reversibly driving the same so that on one side of said plane saidchain moves in one direction and on an opposite side of said plane saidchain moves in a direction opposite to said one direction; a pair ofsprocket Wheels mounted on said hopper for` free rotation with respectkthereto and being respectively connected to said chainron .oppositesides of said plane, respectively, to be rotated by said chain; a pairof clutch plates' mounted on said hopper only for movement intranslation toward and away from a position'where said clutch platesrespectively abut against said sprocket wheels toV prevent rotationthereof; a pair of clutch moving members pivotally mounted on saidhopper and being operatively connected to said clutch plates for movingthe same into and out of said position; plate means slidably mounted onsaid hopper for movement with respect thereto and having opposite sideseach of which is formed with a groove, said grooves being operativelyconnected to said clutch moving members, respectively, and one of saidgrooves having a configuration which is the reverse of the other of saidgrooves; a pair abutments spacedfrom each other and being-mounted foradjustable movement on Vsaid frame at one side thereofV so as to belocated adjacent points at which the direction of movement of saidhopper is to be reversed; andv an elongated bar member lixedly connectedat one portion thereof to said plate means and having another portionthereof located at the level of said abutments, whereby said plate meansactuates said clutch moving members to alter- Anately move said clutchplates into said position when said bar member contacts said abutmentsso as to alternately prevent rotation of one of said sprocket wheels andthereby alternately connect said hopper to said chain on opposite sidesof said plane so as to reverse the movement of said hopper.

6. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe, abutment means mounted at each ofY two opposite ends of saidframe, a hopper movably mounted on said frame and4 having a dischargemouth at the bottom thereof, ydriving means for positively moving saidhopper in two opposite directions between said abutment means, reversingmeans for said driving means, means for actuating said reversing means,said means being responsive to the position of said hopper relative tothat one of said abutmentv means to which said hopper is being driven bysaid driving means, and resilient cushioning means between each of saidabutment means and that side of said hopper facing one of said abutmentest" means for decelerating and then stopping the approach of saidhopper towards said one of Said abutment means and accelerating saidreciprocatory movement towards the other of said abutment means.

7. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; movingmeans operatively connected to said frame and hopper for moving thelatter along said frame, said moving means comprising an endlesselongated member having portions respectively 1ocated on opposite sidesof a plane extending in substantially the direction of the major axis ofsaid elongated member, said endless member being mounted on said frameon one side thereof, and drive means operatively connected to saidendless member for non-reversibly driving the same so that on one sideof said plane said endless member moves in one direction and on theother of said plane said endless member moves in a direction opposite tosaid one direction; two separate engaging elements mounted on said framein spaced relationship along the length thereof; and automatic reversingmeans mounted on said hopper for movement therewith and having one partthereof operatively engageable with said moving means and another partthereof alternately engageable with each of said engaging elementsmounted on said frame during the moving of said hopper thereupon forautomatically reversing the direction in which said moving means movessaid hopper, said one of said reversing means comprising a pair ofclutch means operatively engageable with said endless member on oppositesides of said plane, respectively, and actuating means controlled bysaid another part and operatively connected to said pair of clutch meansfor alternately engaging the same so as to connect said hopper with saidendless member alternately on opposite sides of said plane to reversethe direction of movement of said hopper, each of said clutch meanscomprising an element mounted for free rotation on said hopper andoperatively connected to said endless member to be rotated thereby and aclutch plate mounted on said hopper only for movement in translationtoward and away from a position where said clutch plate abuts againstsaid element to prevent rotation thereof, so that when said clutch plateis in said position said hopper is connected to said endless member formovement therewith.

8. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; movingmeans operatively connected to said frame and hopper for moving thelatter along said frame, said moving means comprising an endlesselongated member having portions respectively 1ocated on opposite sidesof a plane extending in substantially the direction of the major axis ofsaid elongated member, said endless member being mounted on said frameon one side thereof, and drive means operatively connected to saidendless member for non-reversibly driving the same so that on one sideof said plane said endless member moves in one direction and on theother of said plane said endless member moves in a direction opposite tosaid one direction; two separate engaging elements mounted on said framein spaced relationship along the length thereof; and automatic reversingmeans mounted on said hopper for movement therewith and having one partthereof operatively engageable with said moving means and another partthereof alternately engageable with each of said engaging elementsmounted on said frame during the moving of said hopper thereupon forautomatically reversing the direction in which said moving means movessaid hopper, said one part of said reversing means comprising a pair ofclutch means operatively engageable with said endless member on oppositesides of said plane, respectively, and actuating means controlled bysaid another part and operatively connected to said pair of clutch meansfor alternately engaging the same so as to connect said hopper with saidendless member alternately on opposite sides of said plane to reversethe direction of movement of said hopper.

9. Distributing apparatus, comprising in combination, an elongatedframe; a hopper mounted on said frame for movement therealong; movingmeans operatively connected to said frame and hopper for moving thelatter along said frame; two separate engaging elements mounted on saidframe in spaced relation along the length thereof; and automaticreversing means comprising levers and cams mounted on said hopper formovement therewith and having one part thereof operatively engageablewith said moving means and another part thereof alternately engageablewith each of said engaging elements mounted on said frame during themoving of said hopper for automatically reversing the direction in whichsaid moving means moves said hopper.

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